Barrier movement systems, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,597,138, generally are connected to mains voltage such as the 110V 60 HZ AC supplied by the local power company and use the power received to move a barrier under the command of a user. Such barrier movement systems include a power supply which converts the mains AC into DC to power electronic control circuitry and, when a DC motor is used to move the barrier, to power the DC motor. When mains power fails, such arrangements are unusable because they lack a source of stored power.
Known systems do exist which have a separate backup battery charging system which is connected to mains AC voltage and charge a battery when mains power is present. When mains AC power fails, the DC from the battery is switched to the barrier movement operator and used power barrier movement and to power the control circuitry for the barrier movement operator.
Such known arrangements require two inputs for mains AC power and two separate arrangements for converting the mains AC voltage to DC. As a result they are not integrated with the barrier movement operator they are large in size and relatively expensive. Further, they generally result in a significant time gap between failure of the mains power and the application of the backup supply which may result in an uncertain and unsafe movement of the barrier. The arrangement disclosed and claimed herein provides backup power for a barrier movement system utilizing, in part, the AC/DC conversion capability of the barrier movement system and which is connected to the power supply in a manner to provide rapid and efficient backup power.